Courts / Louth / Report

On-bail offender's suspended sentence for intimidating witness by ramming their car was too lenient

Date
2025-01-20

Stage
Appeal

Primary locality
Omeath

County
Louth

Summary

In January 2025 the Court of Appeal quashed a fully suspended sentence imposed on Conor McLoughlin, 44, who had 30 prior convictions. McLoughlin had pleaded guilty to intimidating a witness, criminal damage and other offences after ramming Grainne McGuigan's Volkswagen Passat on 27 March 2022. The original judge had set a headline sentence of five years for intimidation and criminal damage, reduced to four years and then to three and a half years each, before suspending the sentences entirely. The Court of Appeal held that the offence's intrinsic seriousness required a custodial element. McLoughlin was resentenced to a headline of five years for intimidation, with one year suspended for two years, leaving a final custodial term of three years, and a concurrent three‑year sentence for criminal damage. The earlier sentence was to commence from his release in June 2023. The court also allowed a brief period before his return to custody to arrange his home.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: On-bail offender's suspended sentence for intimidating witness by ramming their car was too lenient. Charges or matters: the intimidation of a witness at Drummullagh, Omeath, Co Louth on March 27, 2022 and causing criminal damage to a Volkswagen Passat on the same date. Procedural stage: appeal

When:

March 27, 2022 Hearing Or Sentence
May 2024 Hearing Or Sentence
June 2024 Hearing Or Sentence
February 3 Hearing Or Sentence
2025-01-20 Publication

Why: The trial heard evidence from a prosecuting garda that on March 27, 2022 Grainne McGuigan was driving through Omeath with members of her family when they noticed McLoughlin's car and followed it to his family home in order to obtain photographic evidence that he was in breach of his bail conditions. CNI source report

Case subjects

Conor McLoughlin

Defendant

Charges: the intimidation of a witness at Drummullagh, Omeath, Co Louth on March 27, 2022 and causing criminal damage to a Volkswagen Passat on the same date (Admitted)

Plea: Guilty

Outcome: Quashing the original sentence at the Court of Appeal today, Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy said the court found the judge fell into error in fully suspending the sentences imposed. Mr Justice McCarthy said the circumstances of the case extended to endangerment and noted this had been taken into account when the sentence in respect of intimidation was imposed.